Monday, April 23, 2007

Spring Fashion: Black is Back

Nothing says spring in Iran quite like the dress code police. Reports indicate the morality enforcement officers are under orders to tighten up control of the population. Relax honey, it’s supposed to make you look fat.

Iran warns women over slack dressing: The nationwide drive, an annual pre-summer crackdown given greater prominence this year, is aimed primarily at women whose coats are seen as too tight, trousers excessively short or hejabs (headscarves) overly loose. It foresees handing out warnings and guidance to women found to have infringed its dress code in public. Those who show resistance to change can be arrested and then be the subject of legal proceedings.

Women in Iran are obliged by law to wear the hejab and a full length overcoat that covers all bodily contours. Visiting foreigners and religious minorities are not exempted. Mohammad Taghi Rahbar, a member of the culture committee of the Iranian parliament, was quoted by the Etemad newspaper as saying a harder line towards female dress was long overdue.

"The current situation is shameful for an Islamic government. A man who sees these models on the streets will pay no attention to his wife at home, destroying the foundation of the family," he warned. The Tehran police spokesman warned that men were not exempt from the crackdown. Ahmadi said officers would also target men sporting clothes deemed too tight or hairstyles deemed too extravagant.

No extravagant hairstyles? Someone should definitely talk Sanjaya and his faux-hawk into canceling his Memorial Day in Tehran plans. Word to the wise sensitive minstrel, if you get caught hanging around in Iran you can literally end up hanging around in Iran. Gates of Vienna has links to approved fashion pics.